The point of buying a Roku device, usually, is freeing yourself from cable or satellite packages, but if you don’t want to abandon a service like Spectrum TV, you can keep using it when you upgrade. Here’s how to get Spectrum on Roku, and the app’s requirements.
QUICK ANSWER
To get Spectrum on Roku, you’ll first need to pair the company’s TV and internet services. With those paid for, search for the Spectrum TV app in the Roku Channel Store, install it, and log in with your Spectrum credentials.
JUMP TO KEY SECTIONS
How to get Spectrum TV on Roku
The first thing to note is that you’ll need to be subscribed to “any Spectrum TV and Internet plan,” as the company puts it. There’s no way of streaming the service if you’re using other providers. In fact, it’s explicitly intended for in-home viewing using the modem linked to your Spectrum account.
Assuming you are an eligible subscriber, it’s easy to start watching. Open the Roku Channel Store, found on the web or under Streaming Channels on your Roku’s homescreen. Search for “Spectrum TV,” then select and install the app when it appears in results.
When you open the app on your Roku, you’ll be prompted to log in with your Spectrum credentials. That’s all there is to it — you’re up and running. You can access live TV, a programming guide, and select slices of on-demand content.
Most Roku products are capable of running the Spectrum app. The only exceptions are models that have been unavailable for several years, such as Roku SD, HD, LT, and XD variants, the Roku 2, and the 3400X and 3420X versions of the Streaming Stick. Spectrum maintains an official obsolescence list.
Is Spectrum free on Roku?
There’s no extra charge if you’re a Spectrum TV and internet customer. The Roku app is just a portal into content you’re already paying for.
Of course, for everyone else, the cost is switching internet and/or TV providers. There’s no particular reason to do that, not when there are plenty of on-demand streaming services, and internet-based live options like Sling TV or YouTube TV.
Read more: The best video streaming services
